Livin' On Island Time

My field work session in Belize has ended, yet I still have a week to kill before I’m off to Peru. Last year, I travelled all over the country of Belize exploring the different areas. But this year, I wanted to sit back and relax and soak up some sun for a bit. So of course I headed to the islands.

I’m spending my week on Caye Caulker, a tiny little island off the coast of Belize. It is known for having the second biggest coral reef in the world, only after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. The island is such a great place to unwind. There are only three main roads: Front Street, Middle Street, and Back Street. The ocean side is lined with restaurants overlooking the docks and palm trees in the sand. There are a lot of little shops and eateries to explore everywhere.

The popular place to hang out is called The Split. It is an area on the north side of the island where there is a gap in the island where water flows from the ocean to the lagoon on the other side. Apparently Hurricane Hattie came plowing through and created the current channel in 1961, which has since widened with time and additional hurricanes. There is a bar right on the edge with tables and stools in the water. They like to play loud music so people can dance and swim and drink all at the same time.

Here's a picture of a postcard I found with an aerial view of the island. You can clearly see the split in the land:

It’s funny, it seems like all of the music they play here is a reggae version of some song. Everything is made to dance and jam out to. Since we’ve been here, the theme song of our time seems to be “Here ComesTrouble” by Chronixx. It plays wherever we go. If you listen to it, you’ll get the vibe of the whole island.

While we’re here, the annual Lobster Fest is going on over the weekend. It is such a popular event! The island gets packed with extra tourists coming just for the festival. On the opening day, we witnessed a golf cart float parade (golf carts are the only means of transport on the island, there are no cars). And in the evenings Front Street is crowded with street vendors selling lobster and other seafood right off the grill. It’s such a feast for all the senses.

My goal for this week is to do as little as possible while I’m here. I’ll spend most days laying by the pool (which we were lucky enough to find a hotel with a nice one) and enjoying the sun. Because we have no schedule – we’re on island time now!